A Canonical Response in Rainfall Characteristics to Global Warming: Projections by IPCC CMIP5 Models

Changes in rainfall characteristics induced by global warming are examined based on probability distribution function (PDF) analysis, from outputs of 14 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), CMIP (5th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project) models under various scenarios of increased CO2 emissions. Results show that collectively CMIP5 models project a robust and consistent global and regional rainfall response to CO2 warming. Globally, the models show a 1-3% increase in rainfall per degree rise in temperature, with a canonical response featuring large increase (100-250 %) in frequency of occurrence of very heavy rain, a reduction (5-10%) of moderate rain, and an increase (10-15%) of light rain events. Regionally, even though details vary among models, a majority of the models (>10 out of 14) project a consistent large scale response with more heavy rain events in climatologically wet regions, most pronounced in the Pacific ITCZ and the Asian monsoon. Moderate rain events are found to decrease over extensive regions of the subtropical and extratropical oceans, but increases over the extratropical land regions, and the Southern Oceans. The spatial distribution of light rain resembles that of moderate rain, but mostly with opposite polarity. The majority of the models also show increase in the number of dry events (absence or only trace amount of rain) over subtropical and tropical land regions in both hemispheres. These results suggest that rainfall characteristics are changing and that increased extreme rainfall events and droughts occurrences are connected, as a consequent of a global adjustment of the large scale circulation to global warming

Wavelet Analysis of SAR Images for Coastal Monitoring

The mapping of mesoscale ocean features in the coastal zone is a major potential application for satellite data. The evolution of mesoscale features such as oil slicks, fronts, eddies, and ice edge can be tracked by the wavelet analysis using satellite data from repeating paths. The wavelet transform has been applied to satellite images, such as those from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and ocean color sensor for feature extraction. In this paper, algorithms and techniques for automated detection and tracking of mesoscale features from satellite SAR imagery employing wavelet analysis have been developed. Case studies on two major coastal oil spills have been investigated using wavelet analysis for tracking along the coast of Uruguay (February 1997), and near Point Barrow, Alaska (November 1997). Comparison of SAR images with SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor) data for coccolithophore bloom in the East Bering Sea during the fall of 1997 shows a good match on bloom boundary. This paper demonstrates that this technique is a useful and promising tool for monitoring of coastal waters

Role of PINCH and Its Partner Tumor Suppressor Rsu-1 in Regulating Liver Size and Tumorigenesis

Particularly interesting new cysteine-histidine-rich protein (PINCH) protein is part of the ternary complex known as the IPP (integrin linked kinase (ILK)-PINCH-Parvin-α) complex. PINCH itself binds to ILK and to another protein known as Rsu-1 (Ras suppressor 1). We generated PINCH 1 and PINCH 2 Double knockout mice (referred as PINCH DKO mice). PINCH2 elimination was systemic whereas PINCH1 elimination was targeted to hepatocytes. The genetically modified mice were born normal. The mice were sacrificed at different ages after birth. Soon after birth, they developed abnormal hepatic histology characterized by disorderly hepatic plates, increased proliferation of hepatocytes and biliary cells and increased deposition of extracellular matrix. After a sustained and prolonged proliferation of all epithelial components, proliferation subsided and final liver weight by the end of 30 weeks in livers with PINCH DKO deficient hepatocytes was 40% larger than the control mice. The livers of the PINCH DKO mice were also very stiff due to increased ECM deposition throughout the liver, with no observed nodularity. Mice developed liver cancer by one year. These mice regenerated normally when subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy and did not show any termination defect. Ras suppressor 1 (Rsu-1) protein, the binding partner of PINCH is frequently deleted in human liver cancers. Rsu-1 expression is dramatically decreased in PINCH DKO mouse livers. Increased expression of Rsu-1 suppressed cell proliferation and migration in HCC cell lines. These changes were brought about not by affecting activation of Ras (as its name suggests) but by suppression of Ras downstream signaling via RhoGTPase proteins. In conclusion, our studies suggest that removal of PINCH results in enlargement of liver and tumorigenesis. Decreased levels of Rsu-1, a partner for PINCH and a protein often deleted in human liver cancer, may play an important role in the development of the observed phenotype. © 2013 Donthamsetty et al

Effect of Native Defects on Optical Properties of InxGa1-xN Alloys

The energy position of the optical absorption edge and the free carrier populations in InxGa1-xN ternary alloys can be controlled using high energy 4He+ irradiation. The blue shift of the absorption edge after irradiation in In-rich material (x > 0.34) is attributed to the band-filling effect (Burstein-Moss shift) due to the native donors introduced by the irradiation. In Ga-rich material, optical absorption measurements show that the irradiation-introduced native defects are inside the bandgap, where they are incorporated as acceptors. The observed irradiation-produced changes in the optical absorption edge and the carrier populations in InxGa1-xN are in excellent agreement with the predictions of the amphoteric defect model

Reimbursement for Emergency Department Electrocardiography and Radiograph Interpretations: What Is It Worth for the Emergency Physician

Background: Physician reimbursement laws for diagnostic interpretive services require that only those services provided contemporaneously and /or contribute directly to patient care can be billed for. Despite these regulations, cardiologists and radiologists in many hospitals continue to bill for ECG and plain film diagnostic services performed in the emergency department (ED). The reimbursement value of this care, which is disconnected in time and place from the ED patient encounter, is unknown. In a California community ED with a 32,000 annual census, the emergency physicians (EPs) alone, by contract, bill for all ECG readings and plain film interpretations when the radiologists are not available to provide contemporaneous readings.Objectives: To determine the impact of this billing practice on actual EP reimbursement we undertook an analysis that allows calculation of physician reimbursement from billing data.Methods: An IRB-approved analysis of 12 months of billing data cleansed of all patient identifiers was undertaken for 2003. From the data we created a descriptive study with itemized breakdown of reimbursement for radiograph and ECG interpretive services (procedures) and the gross resultant physician income.Results: In 2003 EPs at this hospital treated patients during 32,690 ED visits. Total group income in 2003 for radiographs was $173,555 and$91,025 for ECGs, or $19/EP hour and$6/EP hour respectively. For the average full-time EP, the combined total is $2537/month or$30,444 per annum, per EP. This is $8/ED visit (averaged across all patients).Conclusion: As EP-reimbursement is challenged by rising malpractice premiums, uninsured patients, HMO contracts, unfunded government mandates and state budgetary shortfalls, EPs are seeking to preserve their patient services and resultant income. They should also be reimbursed for those services and the liability that they incur. The reimbursement value of ECGs and plain film interpretations to the practicing EP is substantial. In the ED studied, it represents$30,444 gross income per full-time EP annually. Plain film interpretation services produce three times the hourly revenue of ECG reading at the hospital studied.[WestJEM. 2009;10:178-183.

Cyberinfrastructure resources enabling creation of the loblolly pine reference transcriptome

This paper was presented at XSEDE 15 conference.Today's genomics technologies generate more sequence data than ever before possible, and at substantially lower costs, serving researchers across biological disciplines in transformative ways. Building transcriptome assemblies from RNA sequencing reads is one application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) that has held a central role in biological discovery in both model and non- model organisms, with and without whole genome sequence references. A major limitation in effective building of transcriptome references is no longer the sequencing data generation itself, but the computing infrastructure and expertise needed to assemble, analyze and manage the data. Here we describe a currently available resource dedicated to achieving such goals, and its use for extensive RNA assembly of up to 1.3 billion reads representing the massive transcriptome of loblolly pine, using four major assembly software installations. The Mason cluster, an XSEDE second tier resource at Indiana University, provides the necessary fast CPU cycles, large memory, and high I/O throughput for conducting large-scale genomics research. The National Center for Genome Analysis Support, or NCGAS, provides technical support in using HPC systems, bioinformatic support for determining the appropriate method to analyze a given dataset, and practical assistance in running computations. We demonstrate that a sufficient supercomputing resource and good workflow design are elements that are essential to large eukaryotic genomics and transcriptomics projects such as the complex transcriptome of loblolly pine, gene expression data that inform annotation and functional interpretation of the largest genome sequence reference to date.This work was supported in part by USDA NIFA grant 2011- 67009-30030, PineRefSeq, led by the University of California, Davis, and NCGAS funded by NSF under award No. 1062432